TRANSCRIPT: PRESS CONFERENCE, 13 JULY 2024
SUBJECTS: INDO PACIFIC MEDIA STRATEGY, ALLEGED RUSSIAN SPIES AND JOHN SETKA’S RESIGNATION
E&OE
STARTS: 1:02pm
ENDS: 1:22pm
LUCY GRAY:
Talking broadly about the broadcasting strategy, how important is it that we increase reach in the regions through media?
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
Look, this is incredibly important and I'm a little bit surprised that given that it was an election commitment by Labor that has taken this long. But certainly welcome it. I've spoken with Pat Conroy, Penny Wong, with Simon Birmingham about how important it is to have a presence such as this in the Pacific region. Media is under threat in the Pacific region, traditional media, but to get those stories out of the Pacific, indeed Australian stories into the Pacific is so important. It is soft diplomacy. It's a very contested space at the moment and anything that we can do in this area is welcomed by the Opposition. We support the Government's initiatives, and we think that it's a very, very good thing.
LUCY GRAY:
If you thought it was such a good thing, why didn’t the Coalition do anything like this when you were in power?
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
Well, in fact, we did it and we had investment through the ABC into the Pacific. Indeed, it was the Howard era Government that very much looked towards the Pacific that identified the Pacific as an important space and place for Australia. Indeed we did do a number of initiatives via the media, with the media, through the media in the Pacific.
What Labor is doing now is building on what we did as a Coalition Government during our nine years in office under Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison. Indeed all of that was built upon what John Howard and his Government did for the 11 years were in Government in the 90s and early 2000s.
LUCY GRAY:
The strategy also expands on countries like India, what do you make of that?
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
Well, it's an Indo-Pacific strategy and I welcome it. I mean, India is one of our largest trading partners. I know the work that Shadow Trade Minister Kevin Hogan is doing with India as we speak. I know the work that is going on to make sure that any trade arrangements with India, are the best they could be. I come from a regional electorate and indeed in Wagga Wagga at Charles Sturt University, the work that it is doing with chickpeas, for instance, working with our Indian authorities, working with our friends in India is so important and it's building trade relationships. It's building people to people links – it's incredibly important. I was in India just a few short months ago talking trade, talking of those important strategies and links for the future.
LUCY GRAY:
Which country are you most concerned about when it comes to the contest in our region?
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
Well, it's not a matter of being wary or worried about countries. I mean, we need to make sure that we're seen as the best friend of the Pacific nations, and that's what we're doing. And indeed, through sports diplomacy, through our links with Christianity, and the two things that some of our some of our neighbours very much north of here do not have. They do not share the love of rugby league. And I know that there's a lot of Pacific Island leaders coming to Australia around State of Origin time. That's welcomed, that's encouraged, that's tremendous. In Papua New Guinea, their national sport is Rugby League, it's the only nation in the world, as I understand it, who has Rugby League as their national sport and I very much support a Pacific bid for the National Rugby League franchise, the new franchise that will become available. I know Peter V'landys and others are doing some important work in this regard and I encourage that – I've said that all along. I mean a Rugby League team based in Port Moresby, perhaps through Cairns. I had a meeting with the Cairns people the other day, the local government there to see what we could do to support it and I very much support that incredibly important that we are seen continuing as the nation of choice, as the best friends, as the partners of our Pacific Island friends, and we will continue to do that. It is our neighbourhood it is incredibly important and that's what the government is doing, building on the work that we did when we were in Coalition.
AMANDA COPP:
Mr McCormack, it is Amanda from Nine News here, just on the alleged Russian spies that have been charged yesterday, what do you think it says about our defence vetting system or even just the government vetting system in general? That potentially someone who is essentially a spy has been able to serve in our Defence Force and also gain pretty solid access to our IT systems.
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
I know that the bottom line is that two people have been charged and are now before the courts. And as ASIO's chief Mike Burgess has said, the vetting doesn't stop. Once somebody is in our military forces, once somebody is within the public service, once somebody is doing work for and behalf of Australia, the vetting does not stop, the surveillance does not stop. And people, if they do the wrong thing, will all be caught, they'll be charged, they'll go before the courts and they'll face the full force of the courts. It's difficult to say anymore because the people are before the courts, and so there is now a process to be followed. But our Army, our ADF, takes it very importantly, the job of vetting anyone who wants to wear an Australian uniform. I come from Wagga Wagga, it's the Home of the Soldier, it's where every recruit does their basic training to join the Australian army. And I know how incredibly important they place on making sure that they have the right people wearing a uniform. That's a legacy that goes back to Gallipoli, that long line of khaki is an incredibly powerful message right around the world and I know the links that we're now making through AUKUS with the United Kingdom, with the United States. They want to make sure that our people continue to be the best of the best and continue to have those strong values and principles that they share, that we share as Tri-Nations with those important defence arrangements.
I think it also brings home the fact that why we've worked so hard to make sure there wasn't an Australian embassy of Russian variety so close to Australian Parliament House. I know we worked in a bipartisan way to make sure that we stopped a Russian embassy in the Parliamentary Triangle in the Parliamentary precinct. This is probably very much a good thing, and it shows that if people want to infiltrate our system, then you know the right processes are in place to stop that from happening. Now this couple are before the courts and we all know that you're innocent until proven otherwise, but the court process will now follow through. We've got very good agencies, through ASIO, through other means of endeavour and if people do the wrong thing by our nation, they will be caught and they will be punished. And so let's let this process play out. Let's ensure that Australian security continues to be as strong as it needs to be, as strong as it always has been.
I'm pleased that the authorities have moved in this way, the people are now before the courts and let's see what happens from there.
INTERVIEWER:
Mr McCormack, whilst it is all well and good to praise our Defence systems of security and embassies as well, on Thursday there was a report audit that … it fell short of Defence expectation, does there perhaps need to be some kind of review or a beefing up of Defence vetting.
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
Well maybe it needs beefing up, I'm sure that Defence Minister Richard Marles and the Government will look at that. And if they don't put more money towards it, then we as the Opposition will ensure that we advocate for that very thing. Perhaps there does need to be more money in vetting processes to ensure that our national security remains what it needs to be. We'll certainly be making sure going forward into the election that we place the right amount of money on the table. To ensure these processes are as strong as they need to be, it's too important not to do that. So, if the processes require money, if an audit process shows that there is some sort of chink in the armour, then maybe we do need more money, perhaps we do need to strengthen. Thankfully, what's happened here is that two alleged spies are now before Australian courts and that is going to be seen in the realm of national security as a good thing – it's not to say they have done anything wrong. Of course, the courts will properly fully investigate that and make any necessary arrangements if indeed they are found guilty, but everybody is innocent until proven otherwise. Our systems are strong, one, to make sure that people know that our systems are strong, but if they can be in any way bolstered, we should be providing the sort of money to do that. I mean, we spent $450 million on a referendum that we didn't need last year. So let's look at these processes. Let’s make sure that they have adequate funding, increase funding and go from there.
INTERVIEWER:
We know the ADF is going to be expanding recruitment to other countries, if we can’t even vet an Australian citizen how can we with those from other countries?
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
I agree and certainly looking at other countries for ADF personnel needs to have the proper processes in place. This is an initiative that has started under Labor, we should be recruiting at home. I know we should be starting with Australian citizens first, first – and – foremost, and I think we need to very much in the light of what's happened in the past 24 hours, very much review that process, very much look at where we are getting our recruits from. The Australians who do wear an Australian defence uniform are the best in the world. And that's not just me saying that. I've been to Camp Band in the UAE, and I've spoken to many American officials that have military right around the world. They want to be beside us when they are fighting, when they are in conflict, they want to be right beside an Australian because once you have that Australian flag on your shoulder and Australian uniform on, you are the best of the best. And we should be looking at homegrown recruits to continue to be the best of the best. What's happened in the past 24 hours is a concern, it is a worry. So let's make sure that any recruit in the future is very much vetted, let's increase our funding towards those vetting processes. Let's let the court processes now play out with the couple that have been charged and certainly as an Opposition, as the alternate Government in Australia, we'll be making sure that our vetting process are as strong as they need to be and will be making sure that people who are recruited into the ADF are the very best, who have our national interest and our national security very much at heart.
INTERVIEWER:
Mr McCormack, we have looked at largely these revelations around the CFMEU and John Setka, can we get what you make of all that.
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
Good riddance to John Setka, this should have happened years ag. I know that you know the old Labor kicked out the BLF. John Setka should have been told to go and take a running jump when Labor got into office. But we know that he who pays the piper calls the tune and John Setka has been calling the tune for way too long. What he said and what he did about the AFL and holding up infrastructure progress was nothing short of disgraceful. He is about as un-Australian as you can get, and I've got one word to say about his departure and that is good.
INTERVIEWER:
Thanks so much, Mr McCormack I really appreciate it.
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
Thank you very much, have a great weekend.